Best Credit Cards for Costco for 2026
Maximize your rewards and return on Costco shopping.
The best credit card for Costco is the Rogers Red World Elite Mastercard, which features a very high cash back earn rates, a solid insurance package, and extra benefits for Rogers customers. The runners up include the MBNA Rewards Platinum Plus Mastercard and Air France KLM World Elite MasterCard.
| Credit card | Annual fee | Average return | Rewards at Costco |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rogers Red World Elite Mastercard | $0 | 1.5% | * Up to 3% back at Costco |
| MBNA Rewards Platinum Plus Mastercard | $0 | 1.54% | 1 point per $1 spent |
| Air France KLM World Elite MasterCard | $132 | 2.15% | 1 mile per $1 spent |
A valuable credit card for Costco doesn’t necessarily mean it’s a co-branded card. The winners in this category were determined by studying the highest-ranked Mastercards according to our unbiased, data-driven Genius Rating system.
The article below provides detailed overviews of the best Costco cards and explains how the store-branded credit cards measure up.
Key Takeaways
- The best credit card for Costco is the Rogers Red World Elite Mastercard.
- Costco customers should also consider the MBNA Rewards Platinum Plus Mastercard and/or Air France KLM World Elite MasterCard.
- The official CIBC Costco Mastercard (and its World Mastercard counterpart) earns up to 3% at Costco gas stations and 2% at costco.ca, but only 1% on regular in-warehouse merchandise.
- Visa cards can be used at Costco online, and the RBC Avion Visa Infinite is the best one to use.
- Executive memberships can make your Costco membership much more valuable if used correctly, as does buying gift cards and shopping at costco.ca.
Best Costco credit cards in Canada
Our Gold award for the Costco credit card goes to Rogers Red World Elite Mastercard for its high cash back rates and premium World Elite Mastercard benefits.
Our Silver award goes to MBNA Rewards Platinum Plus Mastercard for its flexible redemption options, birthday bonus points, and other surprising perks.
And our Bronze award goes to Air France KLM World Elite MasterCard for its high rate of return and very impressive travel insurance package.
However, Costco's co-branded cards, the CIBC Costco Mastercard and CIBC Costco World Mastercard, have a few notable benefits, like excellent earn rates at Costco gas and Costco.ca.
The #1 credit card for Costco: Rogers Red World Elite® Mastercard®
The overall best credit card to use at Costco also happens to be the best Rogers credit card: the Rogers Red World Elite® Mastercard®. Shoppers receive 3% cash back on their USD purchases and have access to 6 types of insurance, including emergency medical, making this a worthwhile travel card if you frequently head south of the border.
Back to the cash back, though – cardholders also get 1.5% back on non-U.S. purchases. If you also have a Rogers, Fido, or Shaw service, you’ll get a 0.5% bump, so your Canadian Costco haul will earn 2% cash back. And if you decide to redeem your rewards for credit towards your Rogers services, you’ll get an additional 1.5x more cash back.
This card is a World Elite Mastercard, which means there are additional perks such as exclusive event invites, complimentary airport access, and partner discounts on ridesharing, food delivery, and more. All of this comes at no annual fee.
The best credit card for Costco silver winner: MBNA Rewards Platinum Plus® Mastercard®
×1 Award winner 
The MBNA Rewards Platinum Plus Mastercard has an impressive average earn rate of 1.54%. This includes 2 points per dollar spent at restaurants, on groceries, and on recurring bills, plus 1 point per dollar on all other spending. Costco purchases count as "other spending" and therefore earn 1 point per $1.
The area where this card really shines is its high-value redemption options. With MBNA Rewards, you can select from travel, gift cards, merchandise, charitable donations, or cash back. Of course, travel redemptions offer the best value at 1 cent per point (CPP), but all other options are still very generous.
Aside from its rewards system, the he MBNA Rewards Platinum Plus Mastercard also provides several surprising features. For instance, there aren't any income requirements, you get bonus points on your birthday, and the small insurance package includes $1,000 of mobile device insurance, which is one of the rarest types of credit card insurance out there.
The best credit card for Costco bronze winner: Air France KLM World Elite MasterCard
The Air France KLM World Elite MasterCard is the only card on our list that charges an annual fee, though it's a very reasonable $132. Luckily, the value of this card easily outweighs the cost, since you’ll earn 1 Flying Blue Mile for every $1 you spend at Costco (and everywhere else).
Of all the top Costco cards, this one has the most extensive insurance package, with 13 types of coverage. This includes event ticket cancellation, mobile device coverage, and plenty of travel insurance. Add the valuable travel insurance to the fact that Flying Blue is one of the biggest rewards programs in the world, and this makes for a competitive travel credit card, in addition to being your preferred warehouse card.
This card is also a World Elite Mastercard, so users are entitled to all the sweet benefits that the program offers. This includes programs like World Experiences for offers and complimentary travel upgrades, and Priceless Cities for access to once-in-a-lifetime events and experiences.
Honourable mention: CIBC Costco Mastercard
At best, the CIBC Costco Mastercard earns 3% cash back at restaurants and Costco gas stations, and 2% back at other gas stations and on costco.ca. At worst, you only get 1% cash back everywhere else, including at the in-warehouse cash register.
For a no-fee cash back card, that’s pretty good. For a store credit card, that’s pretty disappointing.
The point is that co-branded credit cards are supposed to reward shoppers for their loyalty. Unfortunately, Costco cards aren't up to snuff, and there are far more compelling options that offer higher rewards in more spending categories.
Honourable mention: CIBC Costco World Mastercard
The CIBC Costco World Mastercard deserves its own mention, though it does have the same earn rates as the more basic CIBC Costco Mastercard.
However, because it’s a World Mastercard, the income requirements are higher and, therefore, more challenging to meet. Still, eligible applicants will get additional benefits for their efforts, such as personalized offers, discounts, and access to exclusive events.
Compare all of the best Costco credit cards by Genius Rating
We set out to find the best credit card for shoppers to use at Costco warehouses, so we turned to our Genius Rating, a data-driven analysis of every credit card option. Here’s how the cards compare when arranged by Genius Rating:
The Genius Rating methodology
To determine a precise Genius Rating for each card, our system analyzes over 126 features of each card, breaking them into seven main categories:
- Rewards 54%
- Fees 13%
- Insurance 11%
- Perks 11%
- Interest 5%
- Acceptance 3%
- Approval: 3%
Learn more about our Genius Rating methodology
How to choose the right credit card for Costco
Choosing the right Costco credit card isn't quite as simple as just choosing Mastercard over a Visa or Amex. If that was the case, choosing the CIBC Costco Mastercard or CIBC Costco World Mastercard would be a no-brainer. Instead, we encourage you to consider the rewards a card offers so you can get the most bang for your buck.
Fees are also a big factor, so you know you're not paying for features you won't use, and insurance rates factor in here, too.
Below, you'll find an overview of the most important features to study when choosing a credit card to use at Costco.
Rewards
Since you're going to be spending the money anyway, choosing a credit card that offers the best rewards on your spending can help stretch your dollars even further.
A credit card's average return rate provides a baseline expectation for your rewards earnings. However, focus on the return rates in your highest-spending categories and select a card that maximizes rewards in those areas.
Each of the three cards on our list of top Costco credit cards earns different types of rewards and has a unique redemption system. Take a look:
| Credit card | Rewards type | Rewards | Redemption options | Average rate of return |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rogers Red World Elite Mastercard | Cash back | * Earn 2% unlimited cash back on all eligible non-U.S. dollar purchases if you have 1 qualifying service with Rogers, Fido, Comwave, or Shaw * Earn 1.5% unlimited cash back on eligible non-U.S. dollar purchases * Earn 3% unlimited cash back on all eligible purchases made in U.S. dollars | * Cash back | 1.5% |
| MBNA Rewards Platinum Plus Mastercard | MBNA Rewards | * 2 points for every $1 spent on restaurants, groceries, and select recurring bills (up to $10,000 spent annually per category) * 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases | * Any travel * eGift cards/physical gift cards * Merchandise * Cash back or statement credit | 1.54% |
| Air France KLM World Elite MasterCard | Flying Blue | * 2 miles per $1 spent on restaurants * 1 mile per $1 spent on all other purchases | * Flights on Air France, KLM, and partner airlines | 2.15% |
| CIBC Costco Mastercard | Cash back | * 3% cash back on restaurants and Costco gas * 2% cash back at other gas stations, EV charging, and at Costco.ca * 1% cash back on all other purchases | Costco gift certificate | 1.325% |
| CIBC Costco World Mastercard | Cash back | * 3% cash back on restaurants and Costco gas * 2% cash back at other gas stations, EV charging, and at Costco.ca * 1% cash back on all other purchases | Costco gift certificate | 1.325% |
The chart below is a visual representation of how these cards' average earn rates compare:
Fees
You’re already paying for a Costco membership every year, so you might not want to pay an additional annual fee just to use a credit card.
Fortunately, the Air France KLM World Elite MasterCard is the only card on our list to charge an annual fee, and it's a reasonable $132.
But other credit card fees still apply, of course. Even a card that brands itself as "no fee" still charges many of these:
- Supplementary card fees
- Cash advance fees
- Overlimit fees
- Late payment fees
- Statement reprint fees
Insurance
Many credit cards include insurance packages, at least some basic types. Coverage types and limits vary by card, so pay close attention to this if you plan on using your new card to book your next trip.
All of the cards we've listed here include extended warranty and purchase protection coverage. But World Elite Mastercards have the most extensive coverage.
The two cards on our list with noteworthy insurance packages are the Rogers Red World Elite Mastercard and Air France KLM World Elite MasterCard.
- The Rogers Red World Elite Mastercard includes 6 different types of coverage, including travel insurance that offers three days of emergency medical coverage for those age 65+
- The Air France KLM World Elite MasterCard includes 13 different types of coverage, including mobile device protection, event ticket cancellation, and various travel insurance
Perks
Credit card perks are special benefits sometimes offered by credit cards to add value and help them stand out. Of course, premium cards have more perks, but even more basic cards still have a few surprises thrown in.
Since many of the cards are no-fee options, perks are limited, though not nonexistent.
Here are just a few examples of the perks that come with the cards on our list:
- Rogers Red World Elite Mastercard: Five free Roam Like Home Days, standard World Elite Mastercard benefits
- MBNA Rewards Platinum Plus Mastercard: Bonus birthday points, extra cash back when rewards are redeemed for Rogers, Fido, or Shaw purchases
- Air France KLM World Elite MasterCard: First year annual fee waiver, 30 annual Flying Blue XP (to help increase your membership status)
- CIBC Costco Mastercard: Doubles as your Costco membership card, special deals on select items at costco.ca
- CIBC Costco World Mastercard: Doubles as your Costco membership card, standard World Mastercard benefits
Interest rates
Particularly if you regularly carry a balance, focus on cards offering lower interest rates. While most people only evaluate the purchase rate, cash advance and balance transfer rates can be equally important depending on your intended credit card usage.
This chart shows the various interest rates charged by the top Costco credit cards:
Acceptance
As long as your credit card says Mastercard, you should have no problem using it at Costco warehouses or online. And, since Mastercard is a major credit card network, you shouldn’t have any problems with retailers around the world taking your card.
Approval
Before you apply for your preferred credit card to use at Costco, weigh your chances of approval. Applying for a credit card triggers a hard credit pull, which can temporarily lower your score.
As you can see, income and credit score requirements can vary widely across cards:
| Credit card | Income requirements | Estimated credit score required |
|---|---|---|
| Rogers Red World Elite Mastercard | * $80,000 personal * $150,000 household | 760 - 900 |
| MBNA Rewards Platinum Plus Mastercard | * $0 personal * $0 household | 725 - 759 |
| Air France KLM World Elite MasterCard | * $80,000 personal * $150,000 household | 760 - 900 |
| CIBC Costco Mastercard | * $0 personal * $15,000 household | 760 - 900 |
| CIBC Costco World Mastercard | * $50,000 personal * $80,000 household | 760 - 900 |
The best Visa credit card for Costco online
While Costco Canada doesn’t accept Visa credit cards at its in-store cash registers, it's fair game online. You can earn all the points you want with Visa by shopping at costco.ca.
Because Costco doesn’t qualify as a grocery store – merchant category codes are complicated – we found a simple rewards credit card to help you save while you shop in bulk:
The RBC Avion Visa Infinite is as close to a flat-rate rewards credit card as you can get: cardholders earn 1.25 points per $1 spent on travel and 1 point per $1 spent on everything else. While the Avion Rewards program is a little more complicated, its flexible rewards catalogue ranges from charitable donations to vacation packages.
Best of all, you’ll enjoy all the perks of Visa Infinite, such as concierge services, luxury hotel perks, special dining event tickets, and more.
How to maximize your rewards at Costco
Without a dedicated, branded Costco card, you might feel like your hands are tied when it comes to maximizing your rewards. However, there are a few simple tricks to get the most rewards using any of the credit cards we mentioned:
- Get an Executive membership: This premium membership gives you a 2% annual reward. So, if you spend $1,000 a month, you’re looking at a nice $240 reward at the end of the year. You’ll also get service discounts that basic cardholders don’t get. Both of these features can help offset the $130 annual fee.
- Buy gift cards online: Purchasing gift cards is a smart way to maximize the rewards on your Costco credit card. Costco offers many gift cards at a discount – for example, you might pay $90 for a $100 Roblox gift card. You'll earn extra points on the purchase, and then enjoy additional savings when you use the discounted gift card to shop.
- Shop at Costco.ca: If you have a branded Costco credit card, you’ll enjoy boosted rewards on online Costco purchases – so take advantage of it!
If you’re using a credit card that rewards you for your warehouse purchases, you might also buy gift cards from Costco that you can use at restaurants and retailers.
FAQ
What is the best credit card to use at Costco?
The best card to use at Costco is the Rogers Red World Elite® Mastercard®. It provides 3% cash back on purchases made in U.S. dollars and 1.5% back on everything else (including Costco). Plus, you earn an extra 1.5x back if you use your cash back to pay for your Rogers, Fido, or Shaw services. Costco and Rogers clients earn big with this card.
Does Costco take Visa?
Currently, Costco Canada only accepts Mastercard credit cards in-store, but both Visa and Mastercard credit cards are accepted online at costco.ca. Just like Costco in the U.S., Costco Canada doesn't accept American Express credit cards at all, neither in-store nor online.
What is the difference between CIBC Costco Mastercard and CIBC Costco World Mastercard?
The CIBC Costco Mastercard and CIBC Costco World Mastercard are very similar, but the World Mastercard offers a few more perks and benefits than its more basic counterpart. These World Mastercard benefits include discounted global roaming and free data for your cell phone, Mastercard Insider Benefits for sports and other events, and extensive insurance coverage.
Which credit card offers Costco membership?
The CIBC Costco Mastercard and CIBC Costco World Mastercard both include Costco membership as part of their benefits. CIBC began its partnership with Costco Canada in 2021, and before that, the Costco-branded cards were issued by Capital One, a U.S.-based lender.
What are the disadvantages of Costco Mastercard?
Unfortunately, the CIBC Costco Mastercard doesn't offer the best return on Costco purchases (though it is the same as its counterpart, the CIBC Costco World Mastercard). Its 1.33% average earn rate is significantly less than the MBNA Rewards Platinum Plus Mastercard's 1.54%. This Costco-branded card also has underwhelming insurance coverage.
Does Costco count as groceries?
No, your spending at Costco doesn't count as groceries for rewards purposes. Because it sells a mix of goods – including clothing, groceries, and electronics – Costco Canada purchases fall under the "general merchandise" spending category, as determined by merchant category codes.
What is a Costco Shop Card?
Think of a Costco Shop Card as a gift card that members can load with money. Both Costco members and non-members can use these cards to make purchases at any warehouse location or online at costco.ca. The funds never expire and remain available indefinitely, and you can conveniently reload additional funds at any time.
Editorial Disclaimer: The content here reflects the author's opinion alone. No bank, credit card issuer, rewards program, or other entity has reviewed, approved, or endorsed this content. For complete and updated product information please visit the product issuer's website. Our credit card scores and rankings are based on our Rating Methodology that takes into account 126+ features for each of 231 Canadian credit cards.
